Elections have consequences. Unfortunately, a consequence of the 2016 election for Minnesota’s Legislature was a dire political environment for work to protect our state’s clean water, clean air and the health of our communities. Heavily influenced by corporate interests and an ideological agenda, the legislative majority introduced numerous bills aimed at rolling back bedrock environmental protections, clean energy incentives, funding for public transit and more.

These misguided attacks had Sierra Club staff, volunteers and citizen advocates working overtime this session to hold the line in defense of Minnesota’s natural environment. Together, working with numerous allies, we were able to fight off some of most egregious provisions, but of course, could not stop them all. See below for a list of the major environment, energy, and transit proposals from this session and what the final outcomes were.

If the public hearing on the Line 3 tar sands in St. Paul Tuesday is any bellwether, the project should be stopped – just like Sandpiper. The overwhelming majority of attendees spoke against the Line 3 plan, which threatens the Mississippi headwaters region and many clean lakes and rivers in northern Minnesota.

On Friday, Republican leadership in the Minnesota Legislature announced an agreement on budget targets between the GOP-controlled House and GOP-controlled Senate. Unfortunately, the budget proposed by the GOP would set Minnesota dangerously backwards on protecting our air, water and natural legacy.

On Wednesday April 19th, Minnesotans gathered for Water Action Lobby Day at the state capitol. Citizens from all over the state congregated in the basement of the Christ Lutheran Church as early as 8 a.m. to learn when they would be meeting with their elected officials and gather more information about the day’s events. Over 800 people had registered for the event.

by Anna LaCombe On Monday April 3, the Minnesota House of Representatives voted down an amendment 75-56 that would have removed repressive and controversial anti-protester language from the Public Safety […]

More than 150 people gathered in front of the Minnesota House of Representative’s chambers Thursday for an emergency rally opposing a deeply flawed jobs and energy bill. In addition to a number of other terrible things*, this bill weakens public review of proposed crude oil pipelines in Minnesota in general, and it specifically fast tracks the Enbridge Line 3 tars sands oil pipeline proposal.